Book Review: Made You Up – Francesca Zippia

Reality, it turns out, is often not what you perceive it to be — sometimes, there really is someone out to get you.
Alex fights a daily battle to figure out the difference between reality and delusion. Armed with a take-no-prisoners attitude, her camera, a Magic 8-Ball, and her only ally (her little sister), Alex wages a war against her schizophrenia, determined to stay sane long enough to get into college. She’s pretty optimistic about her chances until classes begin, and she runs into Miles. Didn’t she imagine him? Before she knows it, Alex is making friends, going to parties, falling in love, and experiencing all the usual rites of passage for teenagers. But Alex is used to being crazy. She’s not prepared for normal.
Funny, provoking, and ultimately moving, this debut novel featuring the quintessential unreliable narrator will have readers turning the pages and trying to figure out what is real and what is made up.

First Sentence: If I was good at the grocery store, I got a Yoo-hoo.My Review:

When I first saw the cover of Made You Up, I automatically wanted it in my hands because just look at that cover! Look at all those gorgeous watercolors! Add the fact that Made You Up features an unreliable narrator who is diagnosed with schizophrenia and I just neeeeeed this book in my life like yesterday. I’ve always wondered how life was for people diagnosed with schizophrenia after watching all these documentaries about them committing crimes because they weren’t taking their medication. I couldn’t wait to step into Alex’s shoes and experience all the things she’ll experience.

My fingers closed around the nearest lobster.
…
I pulled it out of the water.
“Thank you,” the lobster said.
“You’re welcome,” I replied. (vi-vii)

Made You Up is so freaking cute, especially the romance. I’ve never shipped a couple to get together as much as I shipped Alex and Miles to get together. As soon as I read a couple of their interactions, sparks just flew between them and I automatically knew that they had to get together – or else. I promise you, you will ship Alex and Miles to get together as much as I do once you’ve read Made You Up. Miles just constantly tugged on my heartstrings and I have SO much love for him. There are two scenes in Made You Up where I want to give him the BIGGEST hug ever – and kidnap hims so he’ll be all mineee.

There was this massive twist in Made You Up where I did not, I repeat, did not see coming. I mean, I knew that Alex was an unreliable narrator right from the very start and I was mighty suspicious of everything that was happening because who knew if it was Alex’s schizophrenia making her think and see things, but I just didn’t catch that twist before it was revealed! 99% of the time, I always predict plot twists before they actually happen, so me not seeing this coming ahead of time is saying a lot. All I have to say is, you have be fooled Alex! -shakes fist-

Einstein’s definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. I kept taking pictures, hoping I’d look at one and know its subject was a hallucination. I did my perimeter checks, thinking I’d eventually be able to walk around paranoia-free…
If I wasn’t insane by anyone else’s definition, I figured I was at least insane by Einstein’s. (63)

The ending of Made You Up was fantastic. It left me dying for a lot more and can there pretty please be a sequel or at least an additional short story so I can see more of Alex and Miles? Please?

A reason why I could only give Made You Up three point five stars and not anything more is because it took awhile, nearly to the one-third point of a 448 page book, to really get into the overall plot of the story. Don’t get me wrong, I loved and enjoyed every part of the book, but I also felt like it took so long for the book to really start.

Overall, I can’t recommend Made You Up enough. If that gorgeous watercolor cover can’t convince you to give it a try, just read it for the amazing romance between Alex and Miles. It will leave you flailing and jumpy and hugging everything in sight – I guarantee it.

Speak Your Mind

THIS BOOK LOOKS SO BEAUTIFUL. I’m a little disappointed it took a little while to get to the actual plot. Buuuuut, the romance sounds adorable. Fantastic review, Kelly!Jackie @ No Bent Spines recently posted…ARC Review: The Devil You Know by Trish Doller

I LOVEDDDD Miles&Alex!!! I can agree with you that it did feel a bit slow plot-wise (especially the parts about the principal and the whole theory with that) but the romance made it so worth it! I also loved that Alex was unreliable and I spent every waking second wondering WHO WAS MADE UP. The whole thing almost made me cry. I just want to HUG HER.Rosie // Rosie Reads recently posted…Rosie Weekly 6/7/15: Advocare Test Drive

I was going to pick this one up anyway because um, hello? THAT COVER. Glad you liked this one and most people mention this “huge twist” so I can’t wait to see what that’s all about. Great review! :DRabiah recently posted…Boys for Beginners by Lil Chase

I wanted this book as soon as I saw the cover! Books with the subject of mental health always intrigue me, especially when they deal with more stigmatised illnesses like Schizophrenia. A unreliable narrator always makes things more interesting too, and I’d be interested to find out what the plot twist is. Good review!Caitlin recently posted…Review: Through the Woods by Emily Carroll

Oh my goodness – you’ve convinced me! I’ve always loved this cover but I’ve been skeptical about reading it….and now I have completely forgotten why! Thanks for the awesome review (Miles sounds adorable! You might have to fight me for him!) – I will definitely be getting to this one soon! <3Sierra @ Yearning to Read recently posted…Review: The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord

I am really looking forward to this book just based on the cover, seeing the subject matter and your review only made more eager to read it! :) This has the potential to be so good! I’m glad you liked it, hope I do too.

I can’t wait to read this book ASAP! The only other unreliable narrator I’ve seen is Gemma in Stolen but schizophrenia has to be much worse than Stockholm Syndrome right?Smitha recently posted…Book Review: ’89 Walls by Katie Pierson

This sounds so damn good! A shame it took you 1/3 to really get into the story. Everything you said about Made You Up makes me want to pick it up and devour it! It sounds so interesting and now I need to know that twist that even you didn’t see coming! Amazing review Kelly <3Merel (Lucy) recently posted…Let’s Talk #1 | How I Discovered My Love For Comics

Yay :D Stunning review Kelly. <3 I'm so glad you liked this book. I have heard great things about it :) Makes me think that I need to get it. Ack. Yay for awesome romance :D And the rest too. <3 But aw, I'm sorry it was a bit slow at first. But so happy it got better :) Thank you for sharing about it. <3 Your review is awesome.Carina Olsen recently posted…Cress Tuesday #85

Fabulous review! I’ve seen such wonderful things written about this book – it’s definitely on my TBR pile. (And I’m always a fan of plot twists that you never see coming.)Hannah recently posted…Review: Emmy & Oliver – Robin Benway

I never really paid attention to the cover of Made You Up, but once you noted it in this review I actually REALLY looked at it. And you are so right! Now I want this book! Like NOW! Lol :D And the story just sounds kind of cute the way you explain what the story is about and why you like it so much, but it also sounds a little mysterious. I hope I get to read this one soon! Though I’m honestly worried about me getting bored of the story if the plot takes a while to even begin… :/

Unpredictable plot twist…okay I love the sound of that. a shippable pair is not bad either. I took a passing of this one over at GR so maybe I will take this one a closer look. Thanks for this review Kelly :)

I can’t wait to read this one. It is actually one of my books I am going to read this summer. The cover is absolutely beautiful, which was one thing that drew me to this book as well. I also love books about mental illnesses because I have a physically disabled little sister so any books about illnesses interest me. I think I will like this one and I am looking forward to finding out what this plot twist is gonna be.Olivia recently posted…Dust (Review)

I think that I’m going to give this one a shot. I love psychological books dealing with mental disorders (was a field I worked in for awhile). I’m interested to see how the author did this! Thank you for the review!

Absolutely STUNNING over aside, I will admit to being bit nervous about this one. I love an unreliable narrator, but I guess with books like this, where the MC has a serious medical diagnosis, I always worry that the ending will be heartbreaking. But your review has convinced me to give this gorgeously covered story a try!Jaime Lester recently posted…Jaime Reviews ~ The Stars Never Rise by Rachel Vincent

FIrst of all, I wonder if there is a fanart of Made You Up cover out there? Instead of watercolour, it’s crayon style. I think it would look pretty amazing. But I am artistically challenged so I just have to cross my fingers and hope.

I never knew that the novel is actually that long – like 448 pages! I suppose that is not as bad if you compare it to Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer. >.< Gosh, that was braincells annihilating I tell ya!

Also, when I first read the blurb of Made You Up I was slightly worried. I mean, gosh the cover is absolutely gorgeous but what about the content? I have always been quite wary of realistic fiction, particularly when it touches on subject like mental illness. I have only ever read two novels which I love greatly and is related to mental illness, so I wasn't sure about this one. It's winter in Australia, so I don't want to be filled with "extra" sadness on top of the gloomy weather. But then you convinced me to go down the street and get a physical copy myself. Your review made the novel sounded SO fluffy and cute that I just couldn't resist it!

I am having second thoughts whether to pick this book or not because this is a psychological book and it really makes me sad reading this kind of genre. I just finished Challenger Deep and I want to break from reading this genre. But as I read your review, it makes me want to run to bookstore and buy a copy ha ha ha!

I love this, you are so honest in your review. First off you start with the cover, which is really the part of the book that makes us want to read it like 90% of the time. But the review itself was so beautiful, and even though you loved it I admire the rating you gave it because a lot of the time just because we love a book we tend to rate it higher even though some aspects of the book bothered us. I am definitely going to pick this book up though, it seems like an amazing read.

I absolutely, absolutely loved this book! It was sweet, and snarky, and mind-bendy. I’m with you in that the plot twist totally took me by surprise even though I was super on edge about everything because of Alex’s schizophrenia! On the other hand, I like that it took a while to get into the plot. I think the slow build up was more natural.Veronica recently posted…Booktube-A-Thon Wrap-Up

I really loved this one. If I am remembering correctly I gave it four stars (Maybe 4.5?). The plot was slow, but I think I was more interested in Alex and his schizophrenia other then what was actually going on. Alex and Miles were so freaking cute, and I agree. Where is book two? I need it now. I’m glad you enjoyed this one Kelly! :)Amber recently posted…ARC Review: Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson

Archive

Archive

Grab My Button

Disclaimer

Effortlessly Reading sometimes receives ARCs (Advance Reader Copies) from publishers or authors in exchange for honest reviews. Please note that no compensation of any kind has been provided in exchange for a review. Any use and/or duplication of my material without any permission is strictly prohibited.